A Gloucester boy who at 15 avoided custody after 'repeatedly and viciously' stamping on a child's head will now be going behind bars and can be named.

A review by Lord Justices at the Court of Appeal in London today has ruled it was in the public's interest to know of the violent actions of Calen Gaze, now 17, from Ashcroft Close in Matson.

They re-sentenced him to four years detention after he was previously given just community service and a youth rehabilitation order by a judge when found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent on a 13-year-old boy.

It was this initial "lenient sentence" given in December at Gloucester Crown Court that devastated the family of the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Calen Gaze

With the support of the Crown Prosecution Service the family convinced the Attorney General to send the sentence for review to the second highest court in the land.

After hearing the result, the victim's mother was overcome with emotion and said the relief was instant after a "traumatic" 16 months since the attack in Hucclecote.

"My son will be so relieved, now he can start to move on," she said.

"After all this time I just feel completely different already.

"Without this no lesson would have been learned. Not by the offender, not by the witness or my son or even the public.

"Now we can move on with our lives a little easier. At least there is some form of justice.

The injuries caused by Calen Gaze

"You can't do what you did to my son and get away with it. I think my son will be able to move on now.

"After everything that happened I was not sure we would get a result.

"But if nothing had changed it would have almost acted as an encouragement , that you can do this kind of thing with no consequences."

The case was heard by The Rt Hon Lord Justice Fulford, the Senior Presiding Judge of England and Wales, alongside two other senior judges.

After hearing the case from the defence and prosecution this morning he said Judge Michael Harington had made an error in last year's six-day trial when listing the offence as Category 2 rather than the most serious Category 1.

Read More

In addition a challenge by Gloucestershire Live to remove the attacker's anonymity to serve the public interest and act as a deterrent was granted by the judge.

There was little reaction from Gaze's family after the sentence, before they left shortly afterwards.

The attack took place at King George V Playing Field in October 2015 when the victim and Gaze got in a fight over a rugby ball signed by Gloucester star Jonny May, before the victim was knocked to the ground and stamped on several times.

The victim, now 15, had at least 10 bones broken in his skull and needed surgery to put in place a titanium mesh in his eye socket as well as a titanium plate.

King George V playing field

He can never play contact sports again because of the surgery for fear of severing an optic nerve.

He also has problems with his eyesight, has regular headaches and nightmares and needs regular pain medication.

Read More

After the trial at Gloucester Crown Court in December, Gaze was found guilty and sentenced to a three-year youth rehabilitation order and 240 hours of community service while a friend was convicted of assault.

But Gloucestershire police's DC Benn Pockett, who attended today's hearing, said they eventually achieved the right result.

"This is the right response to the level of injury that happened and the nature of the incident," he said.

"The family were distraught by the initial decision and they have been driving this ever since.

"The CPS got on board and are why we are here today so we are very pleased with the result."